1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a line guide assembly used to facilitate the launching and retrieval of a rider support as well as a rider thereon in a para-sailing activity wherein the line guide assembly includes one or more guide members disposed at any one of a plurality of vertically fixed but spaced apart positions on a housing of the guide assembly dependent upon the type of rider support and its disposition prior to launching.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The sport of para-sailing is relatively new, but has greatly increased in popularity in the last few years. Accordingly, as pointed out in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,746, persons indulging in this sport have relatively view equipment innovations which render the sport more enjoyable and safer. Such innovations in equipment and accordingly in efficiency and safety in launching and retrieval are further developed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,414 directed to a para-sailing system and launching structure and also to a specific rider support which maintains the rider in a somewhat seated position on a structure which incorporates floats for the safety of the rider if such rider support should inadvertently go down in the water.
Due to the wide increase in para-sailing activity, numerous types of rider support have been developed and are currently now in use. In addition to the safety oriented float incorporating rider support of my above noted U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,414, there are numerous other types of rider supports. Most commonly used but perhaps the most unsafe of all the rider support is a harness type structure which is attached to the body of the rider and supported directly from the shroud lines of the parachute. The rider is maintained in an upright substantially standing position immediately prior to launching. An additional rider support which is currently being contemplated is a sling type structure which maintains the rider in somewhat of a seated position, but differs at least to some degree from the float incorporating riding support as set forth above. This sling type structure maintains the rider in somewhat of a crouched or partially upstanding position prior to launching and until launching commences at which time the rider is then forced backwardly in a somewhat suspended position in the sling type rider support.
The float incorporating structure previously disclosed and claimed in my latest patent maintains the rider support in somewhat of a "lowest" position since he is fully seated in the rider support on a launching deck or portion of the towing craft immediately prior to launching.
Based on the above it should be apparent that the launching assembly and any type of guide means used in para-sailing activity should be readily adaptable for any type of rider support at least of the types set forth above. Certain launching assemblies presently in use are not readily adapted for the versatility of handling all three types of rider supports or any other type of rider support not mentioned above.
There is therefor, a recognized need in the para-sailing industry for a guide means associated with a launching assembly which is sufficiently adaptable to adequately position the towing line as it is extending outwardly from the winch so that it is located at a proper height or disposition relative to the rider and more specifically to the rider support on which the rider is mounted. Such a preferred rider support should be "automatically" alignable with the tow line once the rider support and rider thereon is in a fully launched mode in order to prevent unnecessary and possibly harmful frictional contact between the towing line and portions of the launching assembly. It is common practice at this time to replace the towing line completely after only a relatively few launches in order to ensure the safety and structural integrity of the towing line. To the contrary, with a preferred launching assembly of the type setforth herein frictional engagement of the tow line with the various components of the launching assembly will be minimized thereby causing a minimal of wear on the tow line itself and therefor allowing fewer replacements of the tow line. This of course will save both down time as well as money to the operators of the para-sailing activity.